Pen Mill RPM??

[MAB11]

I would like to know at what speed do you run your pen mill or barrel trimmer at? (if you use one) On hardwoods or acrylics?

The reason I ask is I got a brand new carbide cutter and was flushing up a blank when it grabed it and blew the side off!

Do you have better luck using it in the drill press, lathe, or cordless drill and vise?

Any feedback would be great.

 

[el_d]

I have always used my trimmer by hand, I have better control with no blow outs.

 

[jbthbt]

I'm the opposite. I used to run them by hand and had alot of blowout. I moved to the drill press and have had much more luck. The carbide cutters are more prone to blowout since there are only two teeth over the four on the HSS cutters. I run my press at about 600 RPM and hold the blank with self-adjusting pliers. If it's a really brittle material, I'll use a jig and the disc sander.

 

[CREID]

I use mine by hand with a corlless drill. I start out slow until it gets cutting and then if I need to go farther I speed it up.
Curt

 

[joeatact]

I use my drill press and at the same speed I drill at. Move carefully

 

[Skye]

I use mine by hand with a corlless drill. I start out slow until it gets cutting and then if I need to go farther I speed it up.
Curt

Ditto. I wrap a cloth around the blank to keep it from tearing my hand up if it catches. Probably not the best way to go about it, but works for me.

 

[snyiper]

I chuck it in the drill press and turn by hand

 

[uncltodd]

Pen Mill Sharpening

I generally hold the blank in one hand and with the pen mill chucked in a drill chuck I turn it by hand. (Wearing leather gloves helps). To make the process easier and quicker I cut the blanks as close to the length of the tube as I can...no more the a 32nd on each end to cut off. I like the control and I am not in any great hurry. My question is...do any of you guys have a accurate and dependable way of sharpening the pen mill. I know they are not prohibitively expensive, but I hate to just throw away a tool that looks like it could be sharpened and reused. I have tried various ways using small files, but it is very hard to hold the mill and get the angle right on the edge. I'm sure one of you clever people has either come up with the solution or has some ideas. What do you say?

 

[Monty]

... My question is...do any of you guys have a accurate and dependable way of sharpening the pen mill. I know they are not prohibitively expensive, but I hate to just throw away a tool that looks like it could be sharpened and reused. I have tried various ways using small files, but it is very hard to hold the mill and get the angle right on the edge. I'm sure one of you clever people has either come up with the solution or has some ideas. What do you say?

Just check out the Library - http://www.penmakersguild.com/articles/penmillsharpening1.pdf

 

[JimB]

You should be sharpening on the flat side not the angled side.

 

[tomas]

I use my cordless drill and have never had any problems.

 

[MAB11]

Thanks for all the great feedback!

 

[uncltodd]

Thank you, I downloaded both articles and now I've got some sharpening to do. Todd